president obama moved closer to the republicans on rates, tax rates, and said that in terms of spending cuts, he was willing to make more spending cuts. all contrary to the representations' about his position that you may have heard. every time we are close to a solution, whether it was a year- and-a-half ago in the summer or right now, the republicans walkaway. when we thought we were close this week, republicans decided to follow another path, a path that led them over the cliff, a route in which they did not have the votes. that was then. this is now. let's go back to the negotiation table. we have no right to walk out the door of congress with no clear path to a resolution of this challenge. it is time to get back on track, back to the negotiating table. we must work together in a bipartisan way to create jobs, grow the economy, strengthen the middle-class, reduce the deficit, and to do so in a responsible way. we can and we must get the job done now. i am pleased to yield to the distinguished democratic legislator, steny hoyer. >> i thank the leader for her comments, and certainly